Shoe straiohtener



Feb; 3, 1931. F. SAYLES SHOE s TRAIGHTENER v Filed May 6, 1930 INVENTOR 5a? fay/e5 ATTORN EYS Patented Feb. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES FRED SAYLESQOF 'LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA SHOE STBAIGHTENER This invention relates to a shoe straightener adapted to beplaced on the'outside of a shoe. Shoe straighteners heretofore used have required insertion in the shoe and fill the latter. They are cumbersome, diflicult to insert and comparatively expensive. Shoes which are damp or wet are more in need of a shoe straightener than dry shoes. However, handling of a damp shoe is objectionable and as a result the conventional shoe straighteners remain unused when their need is greatest. Furthermore, the conventional shoe straightener by reason of filling the shoe does not give the shoe an opportunity to dry or air on The present invention pertains to a shoe straightener arranged to be engaged with the toe end of a shoe, passed under the outsole and in engagement therewith and at the rear secured at the heel end of .the shoe leaving the inside freely accessible to air for drying and ventilation. By such a structure the tendency is to flex and bend the sole in a direction opposite to the curvature attained by walking and thus to place the upper in tension especially at the vamp where wrinkles occur. The objects of this invention are to provide a shoe straightener meeting the aforementioned requirements and having the following features: economy of structure; ap-, plicability to either the right or left shoe; compactness and simpliclty; lightness in weight and ease of manipulation.

These objects together with other objects and correspondin accomplishments are obtained by means 0 the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a shoe with my improved straightener applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the straightener removed from the shoe; and Figs. 3 and 4 are sections through the straightener as seen on the lines 3-3 and H correspondingl marked of Fi 1, the outsole being shown gmentarily in 1 .4. Referring more particularly to the drawings, the straightener shown is a skeletal frame generally ofU form with a waist intermediate the front and rear ends. It is Application filed Kay 6, 1930. Serial No. 450,188.

preferably'formed of resilient wire rovided with a yoke 5 at its front end offset aterally fastened by a girdle of sheet metal 7. Howover, it W111 be understood, that anyother suitable mechanical expedient may be resorted to in order to produce the waist. The arms at the rear of the waist diverge from one another to provide spring clamp arms 00 marked 6a and 6b. The arms 6a and 6b are turned inwardly toward one another and in overlapping relation to form jaws 7a and 7b. The ends of the jaws are provided with upwardly turned portions ending in lips 8a and 8?) adapted to engage the lip of the toeof the shoe adjacent the heel.

In applying the straightener to the shoe, the yoke 5 is placed over the lipsole at the toe of the shoe and passed under the outsole. The waist 7 rests against the outsole and the arms 6a and 6b of the clamp are pressed inwa'rdly to expand the jaws and permit the lips 8a and 8b to be engaged over the lipsole of the shoe adjacent the heel. In its normal 7 condition, the frame is substantially fiat. The action of the tree is a tendency-to flex the sole in the opposite direction to its curvature which results from walking and thus places the upper of the shoe under tension especially at the vamp portion. 7

It will be understood, that in its broad aspect, the rear of the frame may be clamped to any suitable portion at the heel end of the shoe and the structure varied to adapt itself to gripping the particular heel portion. Fur

thermore, it will be understood that I do not limit myself tothe particular construction whereby the toeend of the shoe is engaged.

Any form of frame engaging the'toe end, the

outsole on its under portion and the shoe at the rear tendin to flex the shoe comes within the purview o my invention as will be apparent from the subjoined claims.

What I claim is 1. A shoe straightener adapted to be placed on the outside of a shoe comprising a frame having a toeportion to be engaged with the toe end of a shoe sole, said frame comprising resilient members extending from the'oppo;

site ends of the toe. member rearwardly beneath the sole of the shoe in converging and then in diverging relation, clamps on the rearward ends of said members for engaging 5 the sole, and a plate carried by the resilient members at thelr oint of convergence and diver ence and hol ing said members in their assem led relation. I a

2. A shoe strai htener adapted to be placed on the outside 0 a shoe comprising a frame having a toe yoke arranged to extend across, overhang and to be en aged with the toe endof a shoe sole, sai ame comprising resilient members extending from the opposite ends of the toe member rearwardly and ofiset downwardly from the toe ortion to be disposed beneath the sole of t e shoe in converging and then in diverging relation,

clam s on the rearward ends of said members or engaging the sole, and a plate carried by the resllient'members'at their oint of convergence and divergence and hol g said members in their assembled relation.

In witness that I claim the foregoin I have hereunto subscribed my name this th day of April, 1930.

, FRED SAYLES. 

